Daily Bread - Nov 15 2006

1 Peter 4:5 - "Who shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."

One of the most important things that everyone must understand is that we will all give an account to God for the things that we have done in this life (Hebrews 9:27). Every person has been honored with the privilege of living in Father's sacred gift called life. The way in which we live our life is very important to God, and, make no mistake; He will judge us.

We are His workmanship and, as such, we have been endowed with the ability to do what is just and good. Consider the fact that we were created for His pleasure and He takes no pleasure in unrighteousness. We were created for His glory and there is no glory in wronging and abusing others. God wants us to walk in reverence of Him and He wants us to love every person. There are many people who think that they can do whatever they want to do and that somehow they can escape accountability. But God says there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and that every secret will be shouted from the housetops (Luke 12:2-3). The way that we live our life is so important to God that He will even hold us accountable for every idle word that we speak (Matthew 12:36).

God has made known in His word what He will hold us accountable for. Jesus said that even though all judgment was committed to Him, He would judge no man; rather, the word that He had spoken would be our judge in the last day (John 12:48). It is Jesus who will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5). It is Jesus who will bring the hidden things to light and will reveal the counsels of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5).

When the saints of God appear before Christ Jesus they will be judged for both the good and the bad things that they have done (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 1:17). There are two places of judgment: the judgment seat of Christ where every redeemed person will be judged and the Great White Throne Judgment where all those who refused salvation will be judged (Romans 14:10; Revelation 20:11-12).

Be blessed,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org